Selfish
by Eden Ann Stark
Summary: SPOILERS! The Prince and Elika right after the end of the game.
1. Chapter 1

AN: A story for how the game actually ended.  I originally wrote this in third person POV, but it just didn't sound right. It's much better like this.

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Chapter One

I fell in love with a very unlikely man. He calls himself an adventurer, but he's really just a bandit. An extremely self-centered, cynical, and emotionally distant bandit. His faults may not of stood in the way our love, but Ahirman did. He needed to be sealed away, my homeland and my people needed to be saved. I knew what it would take to complete my task, and I was ready for it. I had not prepared for what my marauder would do.

"Why?" I asked incredulously as my heart began to beat once again.

My question fell on deaf ears as he picked up and carried me away from the temple I should have died in. I felt numb and sickly awe-struck while I watched Ahriman destroy his prison. My enemy flew over us, his expression undeniably full of glee, ruining the beauty of the land with his corruption. My numbness eventually gave way to horror; the god I had worked so hard to put away was completely free.

"Put me down!" I screamed, fury now accompanying my fear.

"Elika," he began softly after he released me.

"You have undone everything! Ahriman is free, and the temple is gone!"

"You were dead!" he yelled, attempting to justify his actions.

"I had to die to ensure Ahriman would never escape! I was ready to pay that price!"

"I wasn't!" he snapped.

"Can you think of no one but yourself? You have traded one life for the entire world!"

"I can't live without you, Elika," the Prince answered quietly.

I turned away from him, tears of anger and hopelessness beginning to run down my face. I looked past the barren landscape towards the dark cloud covering the sky.

"You should learn," I responded faintly before sprinting towards the useless fertile grounds.

"Elika, wait!" he called out after me.

I made way to the closest fertile ground, and jumped across the chasm effortlessly. I looked back at the Prince, waiting for him to reach the entrance. I used my magic to blast him away from the gap before he tried to leap across. He met my vehement gaze desperately as he struggled to keep consciousness. I watched him lose his battle before continuing on my way.

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	2. Chapter 2

AN: This just really needed to be separated into two chapters despite being so short.

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Chapter Two

It was almost a week before I encountered the Prince; I had no idea how he had gotten across the fissure, but I was not pleased to see him. I met the worried gaze of Ahriman's 'savior' unflinchingly and without emotion.

"I'm not sorry, and I don't regret it," he finally spoke.

"You should be," I retorted, narrowing my eyes.

"We beat him once. We can do it again," he replied, determined.

"This is different; there is nothing holding him back this time, the tree and temple are gone," I said bitterly. "Ahriman will spread his corruption everywhere, and he probably has a small army by now. We will not be able to stop him."

"What about Ormazd? He-"

"No one knows where he is!"

"You said there are other fertile grounds! Maybe there's another temple too. One where we can both live," he offered.

"That's your plan? To find another tree that will not require my powers? Who is being naïve now?" My voice was desolate and angry.

He reached out to me instead of speaking.

"Don't!" I snapped as I pulled away.

"Elika, please, have faith. We can fix this," he pleaded.

His eyes well full of resignation and pain; it was a look that did suit his nature, and I averted my eyes. When I met his eyes again, they had not changed, and my resolve faded. He action was unspeakable, but I still loved him.

"Alright," I agreed, my voice subdued and lacking emotion.

He looked relieved, though his smile was faint and awkward. I felt no better about the situation as I conjured up an equally awkward smile that I knew did not reach my eyes. Deep down inside, however, I held onto the fragile hope that we could save the world, and I would be able to forgive him.

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AN: Thoughts?


End file.
